This summer Jean-Noël had a fantastic time experiencing a few of Italy’s most enchanting cities and villages, traveling from Sicily to Tuscany. The architecture, art, food and sweeping views remind us of all the beauty Italy has to offer (not that we really needed reminding). We could tell you all about it, or we could just show you… Enjoy!
“The vase is an easy piece to understand that represents cultural diversity and artisanal richness.” –Francesco Pirrello, founder of Meet My Project and co-curator of the ‘1000 Vases’ show
In September 2018, as part of Paris Design Week, the form of the tabletop vase was deconstructed and redesigned by over 100 designers from around the world. ‘1000 Vases’ gave a modern twist on the ageless concept of the vase with an array of colors, materials, sizes, and visions. Curators Francesco Pirrello and Kristen de la Vallière, in collaboration with architect Roberto Baciocchi, reached out to artists from over 60 different countries in an effort to showcase a unique assortment of concepts and products.
“1000 Vases is an exhibition redefining space and the presentation of the art object. The [scene] states that the value of a work can be enriched by its proximity to another piece. The proliferation of vases actually represents the concentration of artistic creativity. The swarm of objects brings forth an emotional tingling sensation; the exhibition itself is a collector of emotions, and reflects humanity in all its diversity and richness,” said Roberto Baciocchi.
All the vases were exhibited on long table-like platforms, allowing visitors to walk around the vases, but also keeping each piece as part of a larger whole. Alone, a single vase can be beautiful, but as a series of 1000 vases they become a statement.
Featured designers include North American studios Susan for Susan, Brecht Gander, and Another Human alongside international up-and-comers Ragna Ragnarsdottir, YunWook Mun, and Avi Ben Shoshan.
For the ninth edition of their Interiors Exhibition, AD France chose “Brut et Valuable” as the theme around which fifteen participating interior designers and architects created a living space to showcase. The event was hosted in the XV century Hotel de la Bûcherie, a historically philanthropic site with stunning architecture, which was recently renovated to become La Compagnie des Philanthropes. This presentation of talent embodies the strong currents of contemporary decoration and the diversity of the styles of the moment. Check out a few of our favorites below!
Juan Pablo Molyneux, a Chilean-born American interior designer and proponent of maximalism, decorated a stunning dining room with a Neo-classical spirit. The white stucco bas-reliefs that adorn the walls were borrowed from the Parthenon. This ancient backdrop is modernized by the marble “swirl” in the ground, and accented with Greek chairs, a striking console table, and a classic round table.
Brothers Michel and Daniel Bismut make up the architecture firm Bismut & Bismut. They are known for their clean, fluid lines, sensual textures and monochrome color palette. The immersive experience they created for this exhibition includes flowing walls punctuated by graphic cuts, and juxtaposing materials of plaster, black coatings and textured paint. The central conversation bench invites contemplation, as well as exchanges of points of view.
Fabrizio Casiraghi is an Italian architect and urban planner by degree, who got his start in design at Dimorestudio in Milan. His aesthetic includes an expertly curated mixture of references, from well-selected antiques and vibrant colors, to objects of curiosity and exotic touches. In his space for “Brut et Valuable”, he instills an oriental flair with the screen and Chinese rug, which, combined with the Neo-classical fresco on the ceiling and the large, inviting armchairs, creates a perfect spirit of bohemia.
Anne-Sophie Pailleret debuted working on ephemeral sets for luxury brands, transitioned to creating more enduring spaces at Jean-Louis Denoit, and then started her own agency in 2011. Her keen eye for sophistication and attention to the details sets her apart from the rest. She uses a diverse range of textures in ivory and gold to create a tone of Hollywood glamor in this feminine space. Our favorite element is the fireplace– the shape of the frame elicits that of flames, and the texture above spreads in smoke-like scrolls. So beautiful!
Oitoemponto, which translates to “eight hours”, is comprised of work and life partners Artur Miranda and Jacques Bec. Based out of Portugal, this dynamic duo has a sense for playful opulence, mixing vivid tones and muted colors, and balancing timeless piece with eccentric ones. They are also about to deliver the new decor of the Caviar House, near the Champs-Élysées. In their set for the exhibition, they showcase their expertise in dichotomies– classic architecture paired with modern furniture, and specifically seventies black lacquered doors paired with seventeenth-century arches on the opposite wall.
The event started September 5 and just ended on Sunday, September 23. View all fifteen designers at the AD France website.
“So much of the magic of this storybook world [Ralph Lauren] created from his wildest dreams is in the fact that he doesn’t just keep the dreams to himself. He invites you in.” –Amelia Diamond, journalist
On Friday, September 7th, under stormy clouds in New York, Ralph Lauren’s 50th Anniversary Show was filled with movie stars, fashion icons, and over 100 models in a range of ages all wearing Lauren’s signature pieces. Dramatic and emotional, the night included 500 guests, cocktails, gala dinner, and a fashion show.
Attendees such as Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, and Kanye West were wowed by the installation and show. Also in attendance to pay homage to the designer were American fashion icons Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, and Diane Von Furstenberg. Every detail evoked the Ralph Lauren aesthetic, including a carpet lined runway, velvet cushions on each chair, and a candlelit dinner under tents in Central Park.
Born in the Bronx, Lauren was born of Jewish immigrant parents as the youngest of four siblings. While working as a sales associate for a clothing company, Lauren created the ‘Polo’ line in 1968. After 50 years of iconic work, Ralph Lauren has won considerable awards, including the American Fashion Legend Award, and has built his company into a major player in the fashion industry.
Despite a changing world and fashion viewpoint often leaning towards the new and surprising, Lauren has held fast to an ideal and image through his pieces. “I make documentary features about America — he makes dreams about it,” said Ken Burns, the filmmaker, who has known Mr. Lauren since 1993. Many of Lauren’s touch points were included on the runway, from plaid and leather of the American west, tweeds and stripes of the English countryside, collegiate and sports motifs, and sequined Gatsby-esque details.
The runway included over 100 looks, worn by models of all ages and backgrounds. As the New York Times fashion editor Vanessa Friedman noted, “it was the haute patchwork gowns collaged together from scraps of tapestry brocade and velvet, dripping silk fringes at the seams, that summed it up best: a career as a collage of what once caught our collective imagination, refined over seasons.”
After the show, while sipping drinks and awaiting dinner, the guests listened to Oprah give an emotional speech celebrating her friend and the importance his brand had in her life. “You inspire us to be elevated to a higher sense of beauty,” she told him. She genuinely thanked Lauren for “bedazzling us all these years.”
Each look and detail of the show epitomized the strength and glamour of Lauren’s ideals. As Oprah wrapped up her speech, she confirmed the importance of his work and story: “Fifty years of you stimulating our ambitions, 50 years of you creating a sense of value, that brought goodness and wholesomeness to glamour. Your story exalts our collective story… You care about the things that matter. You care about home. You care about freedom. You care about integrity. Integrity — a word we need more of.”